Mammals you must see?

chriscml · #1 (**permalink**) 24-01-2009, 10:42 AM

Hello all,

I was wondering what mammals everybody would recomend as a must see? Have you managed to see them yet? Did you manage to get any pictures? Or are they still elusive?

Its quite a broad subject but I just wondered what everyones opinions were!!

Thanks.

camo · #2 (**permalink**) 24-01-2009, 10:52 AM

Hi Chris

Welcome to site

Seen:

Otter

Dolphin

Water Vole

Wish list:

Wild Cat

Pole Cat

A wild Wolf in Scotland.

What are yours Chris.

Roy

tigger · #3 (**permalink**) 24-01-2009, 12:30 PM

My favourite subject!

I'd have some very ordinary little mammals on the "must see list" including bank vole, yellow necked mouse and field vole - as well as some of the better known and dearly loved, such as the water vole, badger, otter & roe deer (all of which I've been lucky enough to see).

I'd love to see (close up) a weasel, polecat, water vole & dormouse....

Jane

Rob_D · #4 (**permalink**) 24-01-2009, 12:42 PM

Good question. Mammals I really want to see:

Live Polecat - seen only a few dead ones sadly

Pine Marten - seen one but not in Britain, missed them in Glen Coe this year due to lack of time and the midges!

Black Rat? - Any suggestions?

Wild Cat - going to be a real challenge

A good view of badger in daylight instead of just glimpses of them running away in the dark.

Orca - also going to be a challenge in British Waters.

I get the feeling that few people ever see most British Mammals - it takes alot more effort than finding birds.

Hedge Witch · #5 (**permalink**) 24-01-2009, 12:53 PM

My adopted county is Herts and so I'd love to see the Edible Dormouse, first introduced by Lord Rothschild in the early part of the last century.

Also I'll be on the look out (well "listen out" to be more precise) for Whiskered and Brandt's Bats.

Having said that, I'd be more than happy to see an Otter or any of the Mustelids, only ever having seen one or two of species of this family, and not for very long.

aeshna5 · #6 (**permalink**) 24-01-2009, 01:23 PM

The 3 mammals I'd most like to see that I haven't are:

1 Orca (guess Shetland would be best bet!)
2 Pine Marten (toying with idea of going to Highlands soon with a company that reliably produces this species by baiting)
3 Scottish Wild Cat- nearly saw this before-our leader shouted Wild Cat + all I saw was a Red Grouse fly up that it had been stalking- I was so frustrated.

Most unlikely sighting:

Northern Bottle-nosed Whale in central London- sad ending unfortunately.

natureguy · #7 (**permalink**) 24-01-2009, 03:13 PM

interesting thread chris. top of my list would have to be pine martin and water vole.

galanthus · #8 (**permalink**) 24-01-2009, 03:51 PM

Hmmmm, have seen water vole, dormouse, (v v cute), badgers, polecat. Fave is fox.

Would love to see an orca, an otter and probably a red squirrel.

nutmeg · #9 (**permalink**) 24-01-2009, 04:09 PM

I'm happy to see pretty much all of our mammals - not at all keen on rats though.

Easy to see at the right time of year are Grey Seals. I love going to Donna Nook and watching and photographing them. I also always get a thrill when I see Stoats and Weasels - although they're nothing like as easy to photograph at the seals

.

I haven't seen Pine Martens or dormice and I'd love to see them.

PMG · #10 (**permalink**) 24-01-2009, 05:35 PM

I'd like to see pine martin more ....... and I think I would if I lived in the Cairngorms!

Also like to see stoat and weasel more often - and this should be possible if I could put more time and effort in.....

On my wish list would be Dormouse - I know where there are some but I think its a case of after dark in September and hope they are out eating the blackberries .......... I regularly pass by their sleeping boxes but as its against the law to open these and peep in I don't do it - I just console myself with the thought of one curled up with its tail round its nose like you see them on the telly!!

I was lucky enough to see two maybe three killer whales for a few seconds off the coast of Benbecula a couple or so years ago - I was so staggered by it I couldn't believe I'd actually seen them - it still feels unreal like a dream even now!

Wild cat would be nice but I think that one is 'apple pie in the sky' ...... but one should never say never

Maybe just maybe sometime ..........

And any species of bat always give me a thrill - tho cos I don't get to hear it as often as I would like - the horseshoe's are a particular thrill both flying and on the batbox ...........

Pauline